Long time SommSelect readers are likely familiar with the love story that is Petit & Bajan. Actually two love stories: First is a real romance between Richard Petit and Véronique Bajan, and the second is a loving passion for tiny production Champagne that balances the mineral precision of Avize (Petit) and the power of Verzenay (Bajan). Yin and yang, harmony, whatever you want to call it the result is captivating, complex, and invigorating sparkling wine. Tonight’s discovery started as an accident about a decade ago, but Richard and Véronique loved it so much (a third romance!) that they decided to make it into their “entry level” cuvée. Of course “entry” for them is top tier for most, and they still make precious few bottles. Given that ultra-limited production and the pure pedigree of Grand Cru vines here, the price is a downright steal!
Richard Petit’s family roots run deep in Champagne: they’ve grown Chardonnay in the storied Grand Cru village of Avize for centuries. As for Véronique Bajan, her lineage hails from Verzenay, one of the great sources for Grand Cru Pinot Noir, so when they went down the aisle in 1997, it wasn’t just a marriage between two people but two famed terroirs as well! Unfortunately, there just isn’t much real estate between them: They farm just three hectares, of which are split amongst a number of cuvées, so every Petit & Bajan label you see is always a limited creation. Today’s is a great example: It aged longer than most of Champagne’s non-vintage Grand Cru competition and still comes in far cheaper.
“Promise” is composed of 60% Chardonnay from their Côte des Blancs vines in Grand Cru Avize and 40% Pinot Noir from the family’s vines in Grand Crus Verzy and Verzenay. The base wine is from 2019 and the grapes were manually harvested, as is the law in Champagne. Following a stainless steel vinification, which included malo, the wine was blended (with some older reserves) and bottled in the summer of 2020. After about 36 months of undisturbed lees aging, the wine was disgorged in August of 2023 with a four-gram dosage.
This is a powerful, deep, harmonious wine that sets a high bar for Grand Cru Champagne. With extended lees aging and ripe fruit (Richard is generally one of the last two producers to harvest his fruit in Avize; the other is Selosse!), there is no shortage of rich layers on the palate. The elegant equilibrium between the fierce Chardonnay minerality and the softened depths of ripe, vinous Pinot Noir is apparent from the first smell to the last sip. Poured into a flared tulip or all-purpose stem, this funnels out of the glass with heady aromas of cherry skin, citrus curd, redcurrant, Bosc pear, grilled yellow apple, fresh cream, brioche, toasted nuts, exotic spice, crushed chalk, and oyster shell. The palate is broad and inviting, and loaded with a bristling core of deep fruits and pulverized minerals. It’s to be enjoyed now, often, and is guaranteed to find an audience from bubble novice to Champagne maven. Cheers!
